Cash register



Jan. 18, 1938.y B. M. sHlPLr-:Y

CASHv REGISTER Filed July 29, 1955 -Bemis M. Shipley wv@ M Patented Jan. 18, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE CASH REGISTER Application July 29, 1935, Serial No. 33,666

13 Claims.

This invention relates to cash registers and accounting machines of the type illustrated and described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,619,796, issued March 1, 1927, to Bernis M.

Shipley, and more particularly to a new and novel form of divided key bank and differential mechanism associated therewith.

An object of this invention is to provide a differential mechanism associated with a divided m bank of keys in which the construction is simplied by locating both latches in a common plane, a driver for which being provided with two driving shoulders. This construction requires less space in the machine than required in divided key banks known in the prior art and also slmplifies the construction of the keys so that they may all be constructed alike, except for one key having a shorter shank than the others.

Another object of this invention is to so conm) struct the single driver that all of the differentially movable members are returned to their normal position by said driver.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention includes certain novel features of con- 3" tial elements of which are set forth in appended claims and a preferred form or embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawing which accompanies and forms a part of this specification.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a section through the machine, just to the right of the divided bank of keys, looking toward the left.

V Fig. 2 is a detail side view of the upper latch carrying arm and its associated beam.

Fig. 3 is a detail rear view of a portion of the mechanism for returning the upper latch carrying arm to its normal position.

Fig. 4 is a detail side view of the lower latch carrying arm and the beam associated therewith.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the upper latch, its carrying arm and the latch driver.

Fig. 6 is a. top plan view of the differential W latch carrying arms, the lower` latch, the latch i" driver and shows the links actuated by the differentially movable beams associated with said arms.

General description "U The idea of a divided key bank is not broadly new, as is illustrated and described in Letters Patent of the United States, No. 1,908,068, issued May 9, 1933, to Bernis M. Shipley. M Such divided key banks are usually provided Uf' for the purpose of increasing the compactness of struction and combinations of parts, the essen-` the machines by combining in one bank two different groups of keys, such as, for example, clerks keys and transaction keys, which keys are ordinarily contained in two separate banks, one bank for each group. This necessitates the use of two differentially movable members with the divided key bank, one member cooperating with each group of keys. The clerks keys and transaction keys, through the two differentially movable members cooperating therewith, control the 10 selection of the proper clerks and transaction totalizers, as well as set up the indicators and type carriers', corresponding to the keys depressed.

Furthermore, in such previous types of divided 1.5 key banks, the two differentially movable members are arranged parallel with each other, and both are controlled by the lower ends of the Shanks of the keys stopping and breaking a latch carried by each member. However, since both groups of keys are arranged in the same plane, and the movable members4 are arranged parallel with each other, it is necessary that the ends of the Shanks of one group of keys have secured thereto a rectangular metal block to increase the width of the Shanks suiiicient so that when any of the keys in that group are depressed they will stop and break the latch of its associated movable member. The shanks of the keys in the other group, which do not have such metal blocks secured thereto, are of sufficient width so that when any key in the latter group is depressed it will stop and break the latch of its particular movable member. In other words, the keys of one group are differently constructed from the keys of the other group, in order that both groups of keys may cooperate simultaneously with the latches on the two parallelly arranged diierentially movable members.

The differential mechanism associated with i() such types of divided key banks consists of a segment, the two differentially movable members, and the two latches carried thereby. The segment is of sufficient width to coact with both of the parallelly arranged latches. When the segment is rocked clockwise during an operation of the machine, a shoulder formed on the segment drives both latches clockwise until they are stopped by depressed keys in their respective groups, which break the latches and cause them to engage notches formed in two latch plates, one plate being associated with each group of keys, said notches in each plate corresponding to the positions of the different keys in its respectivegroup.

There are also provided two stop pawls, one associated with each latch. These stop pawls are provided for disconnecting the latches, in the zero positions, of whichever one of the dilerentially movable members it is not desired to operate.

Each of the differentially movable members has associated therewith mechanism for selecting the proper totalizer, indicator and type carrier corresponding to the key depressed.

The present invention, however, provides a new and novel form of divided key bank and associated differential mechanism which are of much more simple construction than the divided key banks and associated mechanisms of the type above described. By such simple construction, applicants invention not only permits of lower cost .in manufacture but also requires a lesser amount of space in the machine, thereby permitting the machine to be built with more compactness.

Described in general terms, the present invention consists of a divided key bank containing two dierent groups of keys; viz., clerks keys and transaction keys, all of which keys are constructed identically alike, except one of the transaction keys has a shorter shank than the other keys.

A pair of differentially movable members, through which the depressed keys select the proper totalizers, indicators and type carriers, is also provided, but in this instance the latches carried by such movable members are arranged in the same plane.

The differential mechanism consists of a driving segment, the pair of differentially movable members and the latches carried thereby. The latches cooperate with the peripheral edge of the driving segment, which, due to the latches being arranged in the same plane, is no wider than would be necessary to coact with a single latch. However, there are two shoulders, spaced apart, formed on the driving segment, each shoulder being adapted to drive one of the latches when the driving segment is rocked clockwise during an operation of the machine. Due to the arrangement of the latches, it is only necessary to provide one latch plate, which has notches formed therein corresponding to the positions of the various keys in both groups.

Only one stop pawl is provided, which pawl serves to stop the lower latch when no key in its associated group is depressed.

It is apparent from the above general description, that the present invention eliminates the need for differently constructed keys, a notched latch plate, a stop pawl, and a wide driving segment, all of which were essential in previous types of such mechanisms. This results in a simplied construction, lower manufacturing costs, and less space required by such mechanism in the machine, thereby permitting the machine to be built more compactly.

DETAILED DEsoRrPTIoN Divided key bank This key bank contains two different groups of keys, namely, clerks keys 4Q and transaction keys Iii (Fig. 1) The clerks keys 40 are marked with the letters A, B, D and E, representing the various clerks operating the machine, while the transaction keys 4l bear indicia, namely, Cash, Rea Acc., Charge and Pd. out,

indicating the diflerent characters of the transactions,

The keys 40 and 4I are slidably mounted in a frame 42 supported on rods 43 and 44 carried by the machine side frames 45, only one of which is shown. The keys 4G and 4l are held in their outer or undepressed positions by springs 46 in the usual and well known manner. When the keys are depressed they are retained in their depressed positions by the usual form of detents, one detent for each group of keys, which are fully illustrated and described in the above mentioned Shipley patent, No. 1,619,796. All of the keys 40 and 4l are of like construction, except the cash key 4l associated with the transaction group has a shorter shank than the other keys, the purpose ci which will be later described.

Differential mechanism Depression of any of the clerks keys 4l and LY transaction keys 42 controls the movement of a diiierential mechanism associated therewith to select the proper totalizers and set the type carriers and indicators corresponding to the keys depressed.

This differential mechanism comprises a latch driver 52 (Fig. l) and two differentially movable arms 53 and 54, each of which is pivotally mounted on a hub 55 supported by two hangers l2 and 18 (Figs. 5 and 6) supported on rods 1G U9 and ll mounted in the machine side frames 45. The arm 54 is made up of two plates 41 and 48 (Fig. 5), which plates are separated by a spacer 49 at their free ends and by a lever 83, to be hereinafter described, at their other ends,

The arm 53 (Fig. l) associated with the clerks group of keys 4l carries, by means of an arm 55 and a bell crank 51, a latch 58 which is constantly held in contact with the peripheral edge of the driver' 52 by a spring 59. Likewise, the arm 54 associated with the transaction group of keys 42 carries, by means of an arm 60 and a bell crank 5l, a latch 62 which is constantly held in contact with the peripheral edge of the driver 52 by a spring 63.

Since the latches 58 and 62 lie in a common plane, the driver 52 is notched to form two shoulders 64 and 65, which engage the feet of the latches 58 and 52, respectively, to drive the arms 53 and 54.

To operate the common driver 52, there is provided a pair of cams 66 and 61, fast to a main drive shaft E8, which cooperate with rollers 69 and 1U, respectively, carried by a Y-shaped lever ll pivoted on the hanger l2, connected to the driver 52 by a link T3. During each cycle of operation of the machine, the cams 65 and E?, through the lever '.'I and link 13, rock the segment 52 first clockwise and then counterclockwise to its normal position.

When the segment 52 is driven clockwiseby the cams 66 and 61, the differentially movable aims 53 and 54 are carried with their latches 58 and 62, respectively, up to points where the forwardly extending arms of the bell cranks 5l' and 6l contact the ends of the depressed clerks key and transaction key. Such contact results in the disengagement or breaking of the latches 58 and 62 from the driver 52 and engagement of the forward ends of the latches 53 and 62 with the particular notches of a series of notches 14 formed in a plate 15, supported by the hanger 12, which are opposite the latches when they are disengaged.

Upon` the return movement of the driver 52 to The lever Il is i its normal position, means is provided for returning the arms 53 and d4 to their normal positions. This means consists of a flange Eid (Figs. l, 3, and 6) formed on the driver 52 which engages a stud 8i mounted inthe arm d3; while the inside oi the driver 52 coacts with a stud d2 mounted in the arm 54. Thus, when the driver 52 is rocked counter-clockwise to its normal posi-- tion, the 53 and 54, through the means just described, are returned to their normal positions,

As is customary in such types oi divided banks, when no key is depressed in either ic clerks group or the transaction group, means provided for controlling the movement of the diiicrentially movable arms 5B and 5d so that they are moved to their blank positions. The blank position for the arm 53 is the position just beyond the uppermost key @il in thc clerks group of keys. The blank position of the arm Eil corresponds to the zero position of an amount bank.

When no clerks key di@ is depressed, the arm y5:3, through the shoulder lid engaging the latch 53, is moved with the driver 52 in a clockwise direction its maximum extent of movement to the blank position or the arm When no transaction key di is depressed, the forward end of a lever 83 (Figs. l, e, and 6) pivoted on the hub and having a slot 19 at its opposite end through which projects a pin 84 carried by the forwardly extending arm oi the bell crank 5l, contacts a stop pawl 85 thereby Jreaking the latch 513 and engaging the forward end thereof with the notch 76 directly opposite the latch, thus retaining the arm Ed in its blank position.

The stop pawl 85 is fast to a short carried by the frame 42 and is normally held in. its eiective position by a spring 8l. However, when. any one ci the transaction keys l is depressed, the pawl 85 is rocked counter-clockwise te its ineffective position in the usual and well known manner shown in the above mentioned Shipley Patent 1,619,796.

All of the keys di) and fil are constructed identically alike, except the cash key d! in the transaction group, which key has a shorter shank than any of the other keys. The purpose of providing the cash key di with a short shank is to prevent the end thereof from interieing with the forwardly extending arm ci the crank Si on the movable 53 when the latter is in its normal position, in which position it is shown. in Fig. l.

For the purpose of stopping the lever S3 when the cash key Il! is depressed, there is secured to the frame d2 a bracket 93 (Fig. 1) which is located in the path of travel of the lever S3. Therefore, depression of the cash key 4| serves only to rock the stop pawl 5.35 to its ineiective position, thereby permitting the lever 83 to move upwardly until stopped by the bracket which "breaks the latch (52 o-n the arm llill in a position opposite the cash key lli.

The means by which the differentially movable arms 53 and 54 select the proper clerks and transaction totalizers, and set indicators and type carriers corresponding to the depressed keys, will now be described.

To each of the differentially movable arms 53 and 54 (Figs. l, 2, fl, and 6) is pivoted the usual beams Se and 95, the outer ends of which are bifurcated to receive the large headed studs Q6 and 9'! carried by links 98 and 59, respectively. To maintain the proper side spacing of these parts, the bifurcated walls of the beams 94 and 95 are recessed to accommodate the large heads on the studs 96 and Sl'. An anti-friction roller lili? carried by the Y-shaped lever 'H cooperates with the beams 9d and 9-5 to adjust the mechanism just described in the well known manner.

The lower ends oi the links 98 and 99, (Fig. l) are pivoted to arms icl and H12, respectively, provided for the purpose of adjusting the type carriers in the printing mechanism. At their upper ends the links and 99 are pivoted to segments E53 and it, respectively, provided for the purpose of adjusting indicators and selecting with which the present machine is prorhe printing mechanism, indicating ionisrn and totalizer selecting mechanism have not been shown in this application, as they fully illustrated and described in the before mentioned Shipley Patent No. 1,619,796.

While ne form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects primarily stated, it is to be understood that it not intended to conne the invention to the one form or embodiment herein disclosed, for it susceptible of embodiment in various s all. coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

lll/nat is claimed is:

l. In a machine of the class described, the cornbination of a single bank of keys; a plurality of latches arranged in the same plane and adapted to cooperate with said keys; and a common driving member having formed thereon a plurality oi shoulders adapted to drive said latches to differential positions as controlled by the keys.

2. in a machine of the class described, the eination of a plurality of groups of keys nged ina single bank and in the same plane; pliuality of diierentially adjustable members associated with said groups of keys; a plurality latches arranged in a single vertical plane and cooperable with the groups or" keys; and a driving member associated with said latches to drive the differentially adjustable members different distances under control of the plurality of groups of keys.

3. ln a machine oi the class described, the combination of two groups of keys arranged in the saine plane and in a single bank; two latches the same plane as the two groups of keys,

one associated with each group of keys and adapted to be controlled only by the associated group of keys; differentially adjustable members carrying said latch-es; and a driving member having formed thereon two shoulders in the e plane as the keys and latches, one for each atches, said driving member being op'- erable to drive said dierentially adjustable members and said latches different distances under control of the respective groups of keys.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a plurality of groups of manipulative devices; a plurality of diilerentially adjustable members; a latch carried by each of said members to control the positioning of the same as determined by said groups of manipulative devices, each of said latches, when at rest, being spaced apart in the direction of travel of the latches; a single driving element cooperating with said latches to drive said members differentially in one direction under control of said groups of devices; and means on each member adapted to co-operate with said driving element return said members and their associated latches to their normal positions.

5. In a machine oi' the class described, the

combination of a plurality of groups of manipulative devices; a plurality of differentially adjustable members arranged side by side; a latch carried by each of said members to control the positioning of the same as determined by said groups of manipulative devices, said latches eing arranged in a single plane and operable from different normal positions; a single driving element cooperating with said latches to drive said members in one direction under control of said groups of devices; a projection on one member in the plane of and operated by said element to restore said one member to its normal position; a projection on another of said members out of the plane of said element; and means on said element extending laterally therefrom into the plane of last mentioned projection to return the last mentioned member to its normal position.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of two groups of keys arranged in a single key bank and in a common plane; two diierentially adjustable members arranged side by side; a single driving segment operable through a fixed excursion of movement and having a plurality of driving surfaces along its edge; latch supporting means on each of said differentially adjustable members; a latch carried by each of said supporting means, each latch being arranged in the plane of and cooperating with one of said driving surfaces on said single driving segment to be actuated thereby to move said diierentially adjustable members in one direction different distances as determined by the groups of keys, each latch being normally positioned opposite its driving surface; a stud projecting laterally from one of said 'differentially adjustable members and into the plane of said segment to be actuated thereby by the return movement of the segment to return said member to its normal position; a stud projecting from the other of said differentially adjustable members; and means integral with said segment and projecting into the path of the last mentioned stud to return its associated member to its normal position upon return movement of the segment to its normal position.

'7. In a. machine of the class described, the combination of two groups of keys arranged in a common plane in a single bank; a driving element having two spaced driving surfaces thereon, one adjacent each group of keys; two latches, each of said latches normally coacting with one of said driving surfaces for operation thereby; and two diierential members controlled in their dirlerential movements by the cooperation of the keys and the latches during the entire operation of the driving element.

8. In a machine of the class described, lthe combination of a plurality of groups of keys arranged in a single bank, a latch related to each group of keys, differentially operable means associated with each latch, and a member having a plurality of spaced driving surfaces for driving the latches, said latches being driven by said spaced driving surfaces so as to be simultaneously cooperable with their related groups of keys to control the setting of their associated differentially operable means.

9. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a row of keys comprising two groups of keys, a latch related to each group of keys, members controlled in their movement by said latches, and a driving means having a plurality of spaced driving surfaces for simultaneously driving each latch relatively to only its related group of keys.

10. In a machine of the class described, the combination of two latches always located in a single plane, control means for the latches, and a single member for driving both latches, said latches cooperating with the control means whereby they are simultaneously controllable to extents of movement independently of each other.

1l. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a single row of keys comprising a. plurality of groups of keys; a plurality of latches located in a single plane, each latch being related to a group of keys and normally occupying a position immediately adjacent its related group of keys; and means for simultaneously driving said latches relatively to their groups of keys for control thereby.

l2. In a machine of the class described, two groups of keys arranged in a single row; two latches, one related to each group of keys; means operable through a Xed distance for driving said latches, said latches being cooperable with depressed keys of their related groups throughout their operation through the fixed distance to disengage the latches from the driving means; and means under control of the keys of one group for immediately disengaging the latch related to that group from the driving means when no key in that group has been depressed, said other latch remaining in engagement with the driving means throughout the completemovement of said means when no key in its related group has been depressed.

13. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a single bank of keys; a plurality of latches always located in a single plane and cooperable with certain of the keys in said bank of keys; and a driving element having means thereon to drive said latches different distances as controlled by the keys.

BERNIS M. SH'IPLEY. 

